


seven days of valentines

by rainbowfantasy



Series: just be still with me [4]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Backstory, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Valentines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29446800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowfantasy/pseuds/rainbowfantasy
Summary: The beginnings of the pre-existing relationships of Just Be Still With Me, told over seven parts.1.  Genesis/Angeal, 1995.2. Genesis/Sephirth, Genesis/Sephiroth/Angeal, 1999.3. Angeal/Sephiroth, Angeal/Sephiroth/Genesis, 1999.
Relationships: Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth, Angeal Hewley/Sephiroth, Zack Fair/Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Series: just be still with me [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064600
Comments: 11
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

_“Before we belonged to anyone else, we were each other's.” ― Elizabeth Noble, The Way We Were_

_1995._

“What are you _wearing_?”

No, this was not going to work at all and they didn't have time to change it. Well, they had time to change the tie that taste forgot but the suit, oh the _suit!_

“I sized up,” Angeal said, putting his arms out in front of him and looking over the potato sack that was passing for a suit. “That way it'll still fit for longer.”

“When you get too tall for it, buy another!” Genesis threw his arms in despair at his best friend, but he supposed he couldn't make him wait in the hallways of the Second Class apartments. Everyone knew there was a public party on tonight, so most of their comrades were throwing their own little shindigs but not them.

They were going to the main event. They were freshly back from claiming two major strongholds from Wutai, making more headway in their three months than Second Classes had in the year prior and finally - _finally_ \- they were getting recognition for it. They had not received their official notification of promotion till after running a marathon testing session to make sure nothing would go wrong, but Sephiroth had uncharacteristically spilled the beans the morning they left to return back.

_First Class._

“It's wasteful to buy something that won't fit when we come back next time,” Angeal said, shutting the door behind him.

“Your picture will be _everywhere_ tomorrow,” Genesis called to him, strutting off to find one of his own ties which would be far more suitable. “Don't you want to look your best?”

“I want to do my job,” Angeal said. “My job doesn't include schmoozing.”

“And soon enough, we'll be back to strategizing and bringing the wonders of mako power to disenfranchised masses but for tonight,” Genesis slammed the drawer shut and went back out. “For tonight, we are the youngest ascent to SOLDIER First Class and I'm going to enjoy it and so are you whether you like it or not. Take that tie off, you look like a middle aged executive prowling for wife number three.”

“Sephiroth beat us age-wise,” Angeal told him, but he did what he was told and took the tie off. “It’s been over a year for him.”

“I refuse to count the person who's been training for it since they could grip a sword,” Genesis responded snippily. It was a little awkward to get the tie around him, Angeal's growth spurt put his own to shame, but it would be worth it for the pictures. “There, now you look presentable.”

“I looked fine before,” Angeal said. “You're just fussy.”

“I prefer to think of it as having discerning taste,” Genesis told him, putting his hands palm side up. “Dance with me.”

“Tonight?” Angeal asked.

“Right now,” Genesis asked.

“To what?” Angeal asked. “I'm bad enough at keeping a rhythm when there's actual music playing.”

There was some music playing, but given the taste of their neighbours, calling it music might be generous. Perhaps he was just feeling generous tonight.

“I'm trying to have a moment here, Angeal.” Genesis took his hands and placed them on each of his arms. “There is no hate, only joy.”

“You can have your moment,” Angeal told him, doing a sad sort of shuffling more than dancing but at least he was attempting joviality.

It felt too perfect. Genesis let his hand move over to his tie, running his fingers down the soft sheen before giving it a tug so he could kiss him properly. Not the brief affection they tended to share, not the fleeting relief of seeing each other after losing track of each other in battle but something else entirely. Something that made his chest fit to burst, something that fit, something that –

Angeal turned his face to his cheek, shaking his head so he could feet the hairs along his cheek. “Don't,” he said.

That feeling shattered, pride lost, wings stripped away.

“Why not?” he demanded quietly. He had seemed like he was enjoying it.

“I don't want to do that if you don't mean it,” Angeal pulled back and Genesis immediately felt despair turn to irritation. “And you don’t. You're just happy.”

“You think I'm being disingenuous?” Genesis demanded. “That joy somehow makes me a liar?”

Angeal shook his head, “You like people and don't like them so quickly I can't keep up. I don't want us to be that.”

“That's _other people!”_ Genesis declared. “It was a kiss, Angeal. I didn't get on one knee.”

“I know,” Angeal said. “And for you, that works but for me, I want something...real.”

“You think you're some dalliance to me?” Genesis let go of his tie just to smack him on the chest. “How dare you! How could you think such an awful thing of me?”

“I don't want to lose my best friend,” Angeal said.

“Neither do I!” Genesis told him. “Do you want some sort of grand gesture about it? Because I have known since you held my hand four years ago in that knobby old tree with bugs everywhere and sap destroying my hair that I could not imagine not having you beside me forever.”

“I was just trying to stop you from falling off the branch,” Angeal said.

“There was an unspoken moment!” Genesis insisted. When it had gotten quiet out and the sun was going down, he'd squeezed his hand extra tight and it was definitely a big 'M' Moment.

“That's a lot to put on holding hands with me when we were eleven.” Angeal said. “You didn't say anything about it.”

“How could it be an unspoken moment if I had said something?” Sometimes, his best friend was denser than the cafeteria meatloaf. “I thought you simply understood.”

“You're my best friend,” Angeal told him. “We'll always be part of each others lives, but if we try for anything else, I don't know if that will be true anymore. We could wreck it.”

“I don't care,” Genesis huffed at him. “I know my own mind and more importantly, I know my own heart. I know yours too, better than you do sometimes. Life is far too short not to fall in love with you.”

“You're not in love with me,” Angeal told him softly.

“You do not get to decide that!” Genesis told him. “No one but me gets to decide that and if anyone were to tell me some stupid reason like we're too young, or too inexperienced or it's some response to living in mortal danger for the better part of the last two years, I would set them aflame and wait for the ashes because their continued breathing is clearly a waste of perfectly usable oxygen!”

“I get to decide whether or not I want to do this with you,” Angeal said quietly.

“And you don't?” Genesis asked. Goddess, this whole night could be ruined now.

“Not if you're not sure,” Angeal said. “Not if you have a single doubt.”

“Not one,” Genesis said, pushing his shoulders back.

“You hate my plants,” Angeal said.

“You're worth a few bugs,” Genesis told him.

“I might not want to be a SOLDIER forever,” Angeal said.

“Neither might I,” Genesis replied. At some point, he wanted to write about _Loveless_ and the interpretations he felt were more appropriate than some of the hacks he'd read.

“I want dogs someday,” Angeal replied. “You don't like dogs.”

“Just keep them off the furniture and I will learn to like your hypothetical mutt,” Genesis told him, punctuating it by putting his finger on his chest. “I have an answer for everything. Go ahead!”

“I want to have children,” Angeal said, though the way his upper lip was moving, he was clearly trying not to laugh.

“We're already raising a teenager,” Genesis replied. “After Sephiroth, a baby will be a breeze.”

“You're insane,” Angeal said.

“I am not,” Genesis replied. “I can refer you to the paperwork Hollander had to file six months ago stating as much.”

“You're just going to keep arguing with me, aren't you?” Angeal said, but now he was smiling.

“We've been friends for nine years,” Genesis told him. “I feel like it's on you if you're only now realising I'm argumentative.”

“You're really sure about this?” Angeal asked.

“You worry too much,” Genesis told him.

“You don't worry enough,” Angeal sighed. “Can we at least do this properly? Go on a real date?”

“We're going to a fancy night out,” Genesis said, trying not to smile at the scowl. “Yes, we can go on a real date. Now let me fix your tie again, I want so many pictures of tonight that it's forever burnt into my memory.”

“First class,” Angeal said, letting him work the material.

“And first dates.”


	2. Chapter 2

_“I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me”._ _\- Elizabeth Barrett Browning_

1999.

Genesis was behaving strangely. 

Given that he always behaved in an inexplicable manner and liked to contradict himself, it would be more accurate to say he had begun behaving more strangely. A little more highly strung than usual, a little more quick to fluster and a lot more likely to resort to fiery retribution if people brought up the issue. Worse still, Sephiroth couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with him. There had been a measurable increase in staring, but he rebuffed active engagement on the topic. There had been more sparring, but it didn't seem to be providing the release it usually did.

At first he had assumed perhaps the romantic relationship between him and Angeal had hit complications, but aside from the new staring matches and occasional walking off, there wasn't an observable change in his presence.

It had been a suspicion that he had been the cause in Wutai. When they returned a couple of weeks ago, suspicion turned to confirmation. It was clear he was attempting to keep some sort of distance between them because he didn't place his hand on his back to ask him to move, nor did he lounge against him to read and even during the post-mission medical review where he would usually be harder to get rid of than Heidegger's incompetence, he had been distant. It wasn't so much that he looked forward to these actions from him, he just had never stopped to consider that he would miss them if he stopped doing them.

Perhaps Sephiroth had offended him in some way but he doubted it. Genesis had no issue with confronting him if he felt he was wrong in the slightest. Normally, when Genesis became unreadable, he could go to Angeal for an explanation but the boundaries had shifted in a way he couldn't fully understand and that meant he didn't know if he would cross them and earn his ire as well.

So when Angeal offered to cook dinner the night after a long, long day of justifying why throwing more troopers at a problem was only going to lead to a high death count without more SOLDIER oversight, Sephiroth was relieved to find himself in the quiet (well, as quiet as it ever got around Genesis) company of his friends. However, once dinner was said and done and Genesis draped himself on the couch instead of sitting on it, the staring happened again made all the more noticeable by the fact Angeal seemed to be doing it too.

Genesis patted the seat by him, “Come and sit with me.”

It felt like a trap, like he was about to trigger something that had been brewing for several months and he wasn't sure he cared because at least then he would know what the problem was. What was more unexpected was Genesis reaching for his hand and placing it in his own lap, letting his thumb rub circles over his palm in a surprisingly soothing motion. Perhaps whatever it was had simply passed and he was eager to reestablish their previous levels of physical communication.

“Would you like one?” Sephiroth's attention was drawn to Angeal, who was offering one of the dried, candied fruit skins he made when they were here long enough. He was a little full, but there were no scheduled monitoring for his diet here and Angeal had been enjoying them so it seemed rude to refuse one.

“Let me,” Genesis said, fishing his hand into the plastic container and pulling out an oddly shaped scrap he didn't recognise.

Learning a different variety of foods had been one of the more interesting experiences of these dinners, as they both had experience with certain foods he'd never really eaten before and occasionally, with ingredients he had never experienced.

Sephiroth then realised he was literally attempting to feed it to him and his confusion returned. “I'm not injured,” he said. That was the only occasion he tended to need any help eating and it was rare.

“Humour me,” Genesis insisted, holding the piece between his fingers and twisting it around.

It was possible he'd drunk a lot more wine before Sephiroth had arrived and as such, had slipped into a more whimsical mindset. It was also possible that Sephiroth had gotten on his nerves at some point and he'd decided to put something unpleasant in the food. However, if he had, Angeal wouldn't have gone along with it or been eating from the same container, so he did as he was asked.

It was a strange texture, chewy, almost leather like but also had some fuzzy feeling spots to it. It was peculiar, but he liked peculiar textures, it made it all a bit more interesting. Except then there was a sudden new taste of something inside it and he felt himself squint as his cheeks pulled tight and heard Genesis laughing lightly. 

Was he wrong? Had he done something to it?

“You look like a chipmunk,” Genesis snorted.

“We can strike tart fruit off your list of likes,” Angeal added, ducking his head. “Do you want to try something else?”

“No,” Sephiroth said as the tingle in his cheeks began to fade.

Genesis's staring had resumed, but the quality of the staring had changed in some way. His expression was more open than mischievous and he reached a couple of fingers to the top of Sephiroth's hair parting, threading them down and through. 

“You're ridiculous,” he said softly.

What was so ridiculous about expecting fruit to be sweet? Admittedly, he had begun to develop a taste for sweet things and Angeal was often the driving force behind him finding new things, but it wasn't the first time he'd tried something he wasn't sure he liked.

“You're the one staring,” Sephiroth pointed out.

“Turn about is fair play,” Genesis told him. “You often stare at me.”

“You're impossible to ignore,” Sephiroth said. If he wasn't walking around in bright red with more materia than he could possibly use and spouting Loveless at anyone within his vicinity, he was still outspoken, like the very concept of silence offended him.

“So don't,” Genesis said. ”I don’t want to be ignored.”

Sephiroth hadn't realised he had been. “What do you want?”

“You,” Genesis's smile changed to the more familiar look that sent anyone with sense walking very quickly in the opposite direction because something was going to be set on fire. “Any way I can have you.”

That sounded – from his limited experience on the matter, it sounded intimate which made no sense at all. That was something he and Angeal did together. Sephiroth couldn't help but glance at him, finding he was watching the two of them with an expression that didn't seem upset or angry. It was something else entirely.

“What way do you want?” Sephiroth asked, just to be sure.

“You already know the answer to that,” Genesis tutted. “I know you can be dense but you're not that bad.”

“This is...” It was hard to put into words, so he looked to Angeal “This is something you do together.”

“Yes,” Angeal agreed.

“Then why do you need me?” Sephiroth asked.

“We don't need you,” Genesis said. “You didn't need three servings of the chocolate cream, but you definitely wanted it and enjoyed it. Is want not enough?”

Want he had some experience of. Want was being pawed at by the fan clubs, being told which people to speak to events, who to pose with, who it was imperative he let touch his arm or kiss his cheek because they were very important to the company. 

Want was uncomfortably like owing them something.

“You don't have to say yes,” Angeal said, quietly. “The last thing we want to do is make you feel uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable was the wrong word. If anything, it felt too comfortable – the feeling of Genesis's thumb ghosting across his hand. the couch, the food and soft surrundings. “Are you certain you want to?”

“It's nothing I've considered before,” Angeal admitted. “But it wouldn't be a hardship either. You would be beautiful to watch together and I would be interested in intimacy with you, if you wanted that.”

“That's hardly a fair comparison,” Genesis said. “I look beautiful regardless of who I'm with.”

“You're our friend first. If you don't want this, that's okay but if you're open to trying it, we would take care of you,” Angeal promised. 

That tone was a promise. It was a strange concept, this idea he could or would need to be taken care of. It did make his heart rate increase when he tried to picture it, but the concept was foreign and he could only come up with vague impressions of feelings that felt too big for his body.

“I don't need taking care of,” Sephiroth said instead.

“But do you want to be?” Angeal pressed.

Taking care of had many meanings. The company took care of his schedule, his medical needs, clothes and housing but they did already take care of many things for him. Angeal often took it on himself to take care of his nutritional needs or when words could be too difficult. Genesis took care of social engagements where he was often stuck for words while Genesis had plenty to spare and to push him to do things he would never have considered before. They both functionally cared for safety, especially in battles or as sentinels so he could get some rest without interrupting.

“I could take care of you,” Sephiroth offered instead, even if he wasn't entirely sure of how to do that. His experience in the area was extremely limited.

“I know you would,” Angeal said, kind enough not to point it out.

“We're getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Genesis said, giving his hand a pull to bring his attention back. “I would like to kiss you and I think I've been patient enough. Any objections?”

The last time he had been kissed, It had been a sloppy, wet experience from one of the investors wives and he'd wanted to scrub his skin clean away.

“I don't know if I like it,” Sephiroth replied.

“That's because you haven't been kissing me,” Genesis declared. He did love to be the exception to every rule. “Or Angeal for that matter, even if he has wandering hands every time we do.”

“I do not!” Angeal ducked his head away, shaking it slightly. “I'm just trying to get you to keep still.”

“I'm not sure anything short of sedation will do that,” Sephiroth pointed out. Even then, he tended to grip closely as if he were constricting a prey animal.

“We can stop if you don't like it,” Genesis decided. “More 'saying no' practice for you isn't the worst idea either way.”

It wasn’t bad. It _was_ another thing to add onto the list of odd things Genesis did, because he moved strangely slowly for someone who rarely stopped to think about things once he'd made up his mind. He got very close, pressing his nose lightly against his and smiled – small, almost shy and clearly searching his eyes for something before he pressed his lips over his.

It wasn't at all as he expected. His breath was warm, but smelled vaguely of the 'cheap slosh' he'd been drinking all night and it wasn't unpleasant even if he was very, very close. It was slow, hesitant even where he had expected clashing mouths and hitting teeth like a training room duel and not at all like it had been before. No pinpricks of sweat, no desire to push him away and he found himself pressing his hand against his back, trying to get him closer instead, as if he just couldn't feel close enough no matter what. It was engulfing and terrifying.

Then all at once, it was over and he was pulling away and he found he definitely didn't want that so placed his hands on Genesis's hips to stop him.

Genesis laughed taking his hands from his hips and stepping backwards, “Come along,” he said, giving his hands a tug. “Let's go somewhere more comfortable where we can enjoy watching Angeal turn the same colour as his hibiscus.”


	3. Chapter 3

_“I dream that you and I are two plants that grew together, roots entwined.” – Pablo Neruda_

Sephiroth was avoiding him.

Normally, this would be the kind of statement that would come from Genesis because he didn't spend the night or because he took several out of Midgar missions in a row and it was utterly unfounded. Just a case of Genesis forgetting that the planet didn't revolve around him and what he wanted. However, it was getting harder to justify when he had missed his third meal time invitation in a week and he hadn't wanted to spar. 

He was in Midgar, he saw him at meetings but he wasn't making eye contact and he didn't spend time afterwards hanging around so they could walk together as they usually did. Normally, he would put it down to a spat with Genesis but Genesis had come in from sparring with him earlier in the day, sweat soaked and content which meant they'd had a good run and usually, that the machine was now broken.

Angeal wracked his brain to think what he could have done to offend him in some way. Admittedly, Zack did take up a lot of his time now but they still slept together more nights than they didn't. At least, they had until he came back from a week long mission with Zack and besides a cursory welcome, they just hadn't been talking much.

It could be down to the fact things had gotten complicated. What had started out as fun, stress relieving and mutually beneficial had morphed into something else, something closer to the relationship he had with Genesis. Angeal hadn't raised the subject with Sephiroth, but perhaps he knew he was going to and didn't want to talk about it. It would be out of character for him to run from something, but it would also have been more in character for Genesis to throw a fit when he raised the issue with him and he hadn't.

_(“Are you trying to break things off?” Genesis had asked him._

“ _No,” Angeal said, because it wasn't a matter of falling in love with one person and out of love with another. It was concurrent._

“ _Do you love him more than you love me?” Genesis demanded._

“ _No,” Angeal answered again, because it was just a different sort of love that co-existed happily along side one another._

“ _Then I think you're being a tad dramatic,” Genesis huffed. “Of course you're in love with him, I'm in love with him, it's not been casual in months.”_

_“You didn't say anything,” Angeal replied. If Genesis thought he was being dramatic, maybe he was blowing it out of proportion._

“ _What was there to say?” Genesis shrugged, like this was just another fact of life. “I thought it was obvious by now.”)_

And if it was obvious, was that what Sephiroth had a problem with? Angeal hoped he hadn't made him feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. If he didn't feel the same way, he wouldn't push the issue. Did Sephiroth really think he was?

The whole business came to a head when Genesis, who now clearly knew something because he was being twice as obnoxious as usual, told him Sephiroth would come to dinner on the eighth day after Angeal had returned to Midgar. As much as he was nervous this was some kind of breaking it off dinner – which he doubted because Genesis had parked himself on the couch, poured himself a glass of wine and made it clear he wanted to watch the proceedings. Why would he do that, if their relationship was about to be broken off? If history had taught him anything, Genesis reacted to rejection by proclaiming he was dying, making a will and sulking for the next month.

When Sephiroth did eventually come in, Angeal was surprised to see he was carrying a large house plant with with red orange leaves. It was impressively large in that it was above his head and he held out the plant to Angeal.

“I apologise,” Sephiroth said. Utterly confounding, what exactly was going on? “I didn't adequately care for Maria and I know you were very fond of it. I know it isn't the same, but it is as close as I could find.”

Angeal stared at Sephiroth, trying to parse the information behind what he was saying. Maria had been his flowering maple plant and yes, it had to be composted when he came back but that was the fate of all of his house plants. There was only so long they could survive in Midgar. He hadn't really thought much of it until now, because he had asked Sephiroth to care for his plants and explained their names, what water level they needed and how to take care of them.

Sephiroth shook the plant slightly and Angeal took it from his hands, refusing to acknowledge the snickering sounds from the sofa.

“I don't blame you for Maria not making it,” Angeal said in a way he hoped was soothing. “She was struggling before I left.”

“You left it in my care and I didn't adequately keep the soil moist,” Sephiroth said. “I'm not very good at keeping things alive.”

“You did well,” Angeal promised him. “You didn't have to get me a new one, but she's beautiful, thank you.”

Tension seemed to run out of Sephiroth, like he had been wound tightly until he'd said so. “I will try to be more attentive to this one.”

“I'm sure you will,” Angeal reached over, putting his hand behind Sephiroth's neck so he could pull him in for a brief kiss as the relief flooded through him. _I love him_ , he thought happily, because nothing was ruined. Everything was okay. “Now, you got her, you'll have to name her.”

Sephiroth hesitated, “I didn't consider that.”

“It's only fair,” Angeal replied. “What would you like to call her?”

Sephiroth stared at the plant for a long moment, “Is there a time frame for this? I'd prefer to do some research before settling on one.”

Angeal smiled warmly at him. “Take all the time you need.”


End file.
